Spiral pipe machine



5 Sheefs-Sheet l S Y E N w W A Aug. 30, 1966 J. E. FAY

SPIRAL PIPE MACHINE Filed July 18, 1965 Aug. 30, 1966 Y J. E. FAY 3,269,152

SPIRAL PIPE MACHINE Filed July 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTO JAMES E.

a Md; 211 1. 7077/01 M4111 ATTORNEYS Aug. 30, 1966 J. E. FAY 6 SPIRAL PIPE MACHINE Filed July 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,269,162 SPIRAL PIPE MACHINE James E. Fay, Middletown, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Fay Pipe and Pile line, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 18, 1963, Ser. No. 296,124 4 Claims. (Cl. 72-145) The present invention relates to a machine for making spiral pipe from flat stock and particularly the invention relates to novel means including frame construction and forming elements for forming the stock in a spiral configuration for the production of either flat Wall or corrugated pipe.

The production of spiral pipe has heretofore been accomplished on large heavily-constructed machines having complicated mechanisms for controlling and varying the positions of the forming elements for the purpose of forming pipe having the desired spiral configuration and diameter. The forming elements or points of conventional machines are cylindrical in shape. One cylinder, known as the arbor or mandrel, is secured to the machine frame and the other forming elements, commonly referred to as the heel roll and the forming roll, are mounted on movable carriage units to permit adjustment of these rolls relative to the stationary arbor. For example, one type of machine utilizes a carriage unit having means for supporting the heel and forming rolls including a complicated left and right-hand worm gear arrangement which causes these rolls to move in a predescribed path relative to each other and the arbor roll. These mechanisms for positioning the forming elements require power means to drive them and gearing means to accomplish the proper reduction between the power means and the carriage movement.

These conventional machines also require complicated antifriction devices for reducing wear of the forming elements during the forming operation. For example, rollers are positioned on the arbors of prior art machines for engaging the surface of the stock in the formation of fiat wall spiral pipe. Such rollers must be positioned in bearings of sufficient load carrying capacity to accommodate the heavy loads exerted upon the rollers and particularly the loads caused by the bending of heavy stock. These rollers and their bearings are expensive to produce and maintain.

In order to reduce the friction and wear on the forming elements of these prior machines, the heel and forming rolls are mounted on shafts to permit rotation of these roll-s during the forming operation thus reducing the frictional forces between the stock and the forming elements. These rotating forming rolls require expensive bearing surfaces which must be machined to close tolerances. The rotational movement of the heel and forming rolls in combination with the entry of the fiat stock into the forming unit at an angle to the rolls creates a complicated system of forces and relative movement which is difficult to control; and, as a result, changes in angle of entry of the stock and variations in the gauge or thickness of the stock causes formation of pipe having a noncircular cross section and bowed longitudinal axes.

These prior forming units in addition to being complicated and expensive are limited in the flexibility of their operation. For example, forming units having carriage unit and drive means as described above are capable only of producing fiat wall pipe. Due to the limited movement of the heel and forming rolls, corrugated pipe cannot be produced on these machines. In addition, forming units heretofore used function in such a manner that the heel and forming rolls cannot be controlled independently of one another nor can one end of a roll be adjusted independently of the other end. Without independent control of each end of the heel and forming rolls, compensation cannot be made for variations in the gauge of the stock and the variations created by different angles of entry of the fiat stock.

In accordance with my invention, the forming unit of a spiral pipe machine is simplified in its construction and made more versatile in its operation. The forming unit of my invention is capable of producing both flat wall and corrugated spiral pipe. Conversion from flat wall to corrugated pipe can be simply and easily accomplished by the machine operator as hereinafter described. The forming unit also includes adjustments which permit more accurate control of the stock to produce straighter pipe having a more uniform cross section.

Broadly, the present invention comprises a frame assembly having a base plate, stanchions vertically positioned on the plate and an arbor frame support inter connected with the stanchions and the base plate, the frame assembly supporting three forming elements including an arbor which is fixed to the arbor frame support, a heel roll and a forming roll, said heel and forming rolls being supported by the stanchions and means connected to the st-anchions and the rolls for independently adjusting the rolls relative to the arbor.

In accordance with my invention the antifriction elements positioned along the forming points consist of slide bars made of alloys which permit the stock to slide without excessive resistance over the bars which are held in fixed position by set screws. I prefer to use steel alloy slide bars containing manganese and small amounts of nickel. Slide bars made of this steel alloy have proved satisfactory in that they do not rn-ar or scratch the stock nor do they require lubrication to facilitate movement of the stock over the bars.

It is a feature of my invention that the forming unit includes a simple three-piece frame construction for supporting and controlling the forming elements. This construction is inexpensive and lightweight permitting spiral pipe machines capable of producing standard size pipes to be much smaller and lighter for shop and on the job use.

Another feature of the invention is the novel manner in which three forming points or elements are mounted on the frame construction. The arbor is fixed to an arbor support frame and is further supported by the front stanchion. The cylindrical heel and forming rolls are notched to permit sliding movement of these rolls in slots cut in the stanchions. It is an important aspect of my invention that the heel and forming roll are moved toward and away from the arbor and the formed pipe in paths substantially radial to the arbor and the formed pipe. This radial movement of the rolls provides more accurate control of the stock and provides a substantially increased range of movement of the rolls as compared with prior art forming units, thus permitting the pro duction of both flat wall and corrugated pipe on the same unit. The prior conventional forming units have heel and forming roll carriages which move these rolls along lines substantially tangential of the formed pipe and arbor thus permitting very limited radial movement of the rolls. In accordance with the present invention, adjustment of the heel and forming rolls is accomplished using adjustable support assemblies connecting each end portion of the rolls to the vertical stanchions. Unlike the prior conventional machines which have complicated carriages in which the heel and forming rolls are tied-in, in that the rolls move relative to one another in predetermined paths, the present invention employs independent adjustment of the roll ends resulting in the production of a more uniform pipe.

Reference is made to the following drawings which.

3 illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a spiral pipe machine showing the foundation, the entering stock and the forming unit;

FIG. 2 is an elevation front view of this machine illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the three forming elements and their frame supports;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the forming elements, the frame stanchions and arbor frame support, the adjustment assemblies being omitted for reasons of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a section of the arbor illustrating the side bar positioned in the arbor recess;

FIG. 5 illustrates one of the forming elements set up for forming corrugated pipe using rollers mounted on blocks to follow the valleys of the corrugations, and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through line 66 showing the roller block and roller positioned in the recess.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the machine foundation 1 supports the forming unit base plate 2 which in turn has mounted on it front vertical stanchion 3 and back stanchion 4, the stanchions and the plate being interconnected by an arbor frame support 5.

The arbor 6 is fixed to the top and back portion of arbor frame support 5 and is further stabilized by its connection with the front stanchion 3 at 7. Frame support 5 has a front portion removed to permit the spiralled stock to pass around the front end of the arbor 6. The heel roll and the forming rolls, respectively 9 and 10, are supported by stanchions 3 and 4 through adjustable assemblies 8. Rolls 9 and 10 have grooves 9a and 10a for sliding engagement in openings 3a and 4a in stanchions 3 and 4.

The flat stock is fed into the forming unit from a pivotably feed table 12 which is powered about pivot point 13 by a motor and gear arrangement 14. The feed table has mounted on it feed rolls 15 which drive the entering stock into the forming unit.

Each of the three forming elements, the arbor 6, heel roll 9 and forming roll 10, have cylindrical slide bars 16 positioned in recesses 17 in the elements. These bars 16 function to reduce friction and wear between the forming elements and the stock 11. The recess in the arbor roll has a center line substantially perpendicular to the entering stock for the purpose of proper distribution of the load on the rollers or bar placed in the arbor recess.

Each assembly 8 includes an upper block 18 mounted on its stanchion, a lower block 19 secured to the roll and an adjustment bolt 20 which has its lower end rotatably positioned in lower block 19. Each assembly may be independently adjusted to move the roll end radially in or out from the arbor 6.

Referring to FIG. 4, the slide bar 16 is held in recess 17 of the arbor 6 by longitudinal key 21 and longitudinal key way 22 and by set screw 23 which is tightened to prevent rotation of the bar 16 during operation of the forming unit. All three forming elements are equipped with slide bars when the forming unit is set up for production of fiat wall pipe.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the slide bars 16 are replaced with roller blocks 24 to produce corrugated pipe. By radial adjustments of adjustment 'bolts 20 of assemblies 8 sufiicient clearance is provided between the arbor and the heel and forming rolls for insertion of roller blocks 24. The roller blocks 24 which have rollers 25 mounted on them are spaced and positioned on selected angles to follow corrugations in the entering stock. The rollers 25 follow the valleys of the corrugations as the stock moves through the forming unit. The corrugated sheet is initially produced by conventional corrugating feed rolls and is then fed into the forming unit where it is formed into a spiral. Blocks 24- are positioned in the recesses 17 of each of the three elements and are held in position by stop 4 block 26, pressure bolt 27 and end plate 28. Plate 28 is secured by bolts 29. The blocks are prevented from falling out of recesses 17 by key slots 30 in the blocks 24, key ways 22 and keys 31.

In the operation of a spiral pipe machine having a forming unit in accordance with my invention, the heel roll, the forming roll and the angle at which the stock enters the forming unit are adjusted to produce the spiral pipe desired. The heel and forming rolls are adjusted radially of the arbor and formed pipe, the movement of the heel roll being substantially perpendicular to the entering stock and the movement of the forming roll being substantially along a radius of a cross section of the average size pipe formed on the machine. The feed table 12 is moved about pivot point 13 to feed the flat stock 11 into the forming unit at the desired angle through action of the feed rolls 15 mounted on the table. The machine is continuously operated, adjustments of assemblies 8 being made as required to assure a pipe having a constant diameter and a straight axis is being formed. When the slide bars 16 have been worn down such that excess frictional forces are building up, the machine is stopped and the slide bars rotated a fraction (about one-sixth) of a turn to cause a portion of the unworn surface to contact with the stock.

When it is desired to produce corrugated pipe, the slide bars 16 are removed from the recesses 17 and roller block 24 having rollers 25 positioned therein at the desired angle are placed in the recesses 17. The stop block 26 and the pressure bolt 27 are adjusted on all three forming elements to coordinate the roller block series to follow and guide the corrugated valleys in the entering corrugated stock. When corrugated pipe is being made the cylindrically shaped feed rolls 15 are replaced with conventional corrugating feed rolls.

I claim:

1. In a machine for the continuous manufacture of spiral pipe from stock, a spiral forming unit comprising a stationary forming element having a fixed axial position,

means for mounting said stationary element to permit the forming spiral to pass freely around said stationary element,

two forming elements positioned outside said forming spiral,

support means positioned along said outside forming elements for supporting said elements,

said stationary and movable forming elements having longitudinal recesses formed therein, anti-friction elements positioned in said recesses,

a plurality of connecting means for connecting each of said outside forming elements to said support means, at least one of the connecting means for each outside forming element in turn comprising adjusting means for adjusting the spacing and axial alignment of the element with respect to said other forming elements whereby an outside forming element may be moved to a selected radial position relative to said stationary element to form said stock into spirals of selected size and shape.

2. A spiral pipe machine of claim 1 in which said antifriction elements comprise cylindrical slide bars positioned in said recesses such that the bars provide frictional engagement surfaces with said stock, and holding means for holding said bar in fixed relationship with said forming elements.

3. A spiral pipe machine of claim 1 in which the stock to be formed has corrugations formed therein and in which said anti-friction elements comprise roller blocks selectively spaced in said recesses in such a manner that the roller blocks provide rolling engagement with the corrugated stock, and holding means for holding the roller blocks in said recesses.

4. In a forming unit for making spiral corrugated pipe from stock having corrugations formed in it, having forming elements including an arbor, a heel roll, a forming roll and a frame for supporting said elements, said frame comprising a horizontal base plate, two stanchions vertically positioned on said base plate, an arbor frame element interconnecting said stanchions and said base plate, said frame element supporting said arbor, support means mounted on said stanchions for supporting said heel and forming rolls, adjusting means for adjusting said support means in such a manner that the heel and forming rolls may be independently adjusted to selected radial positions relative to the axis of the arbor, each of said forming elements having -a longitudinal extending recess formed therein and a plurality of roller blocks in each said recess positioned to follow and guide the valleys in the corrugated stock during the operation of said forming unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES App. Pub. No. 38-12168, July 12, 1963, Centre de Recherches de Pont-A-Mousson.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

5 RICHARD J. HERBST, L. A. LARSON,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR THE CONTINUOUS MANUFACTURE OF SPIRAL PIPE FROM STOCK, A SPIRAL FORMING UNIT COMPRISING A STATIONARY FORMING ELEMENT HAVING A FIXED AXIAL POSITION, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID STATIONARY ELEMENT TO PERMIT THE FORMING SPIRAL TO PASS FREELY AROUND SAID STATIONARY ELEMENT, TWO FORMING ELEMENTS POSITIONED OUTSIDE SAID FORMING SPIRAL, SUPPORT MEANS POSITIONED ALONG SAID OUTSIDE FORMING ELEMENTS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ELEMENTS, SAID STATIONARY AND MOVABLE FORMING ELEMENTS HAVING LONGITUDINAL RECESSES FORMED THEREIN, ANTI-FRICTION ELEMENTS POSITIONED IN SAID RECESSES, A PLURALITY OF CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING EACH OF SAID OUTSIDE FORMING ELEMENTS TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, AT LEAST ONE OF THE CONNECTING MEANS FOR EACH OUTSIDE FORMING ELEMENT IN TURN COMPRISING ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE SPACING AND AXIAL ALIGNMENT OF THE ELEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID OTHER FORMING ELEMENTS WHEREBY AN OUTSIDE FORMING ELEMENT MAY BE MOVED TO A SELECTED RADIAL POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID STATIONARY ELEMENT TO FORM SAID STOCK INTO SPIRALS OF SELECTED SIZE AND SHAPE. 